Ceiling Demons and Dripping Blood
by Becks Rylynn
Summary: ....And at night, he dreams of her dying and it scares him more then anything....AU.


_AN: Okay, so this story, well, this story wasn't originally meant for Ruby and Dean, and it didn't have a happy ending. Then, I decided to change it and post it in the 'A Little Game and Dance' collection. Now, I'm posting it seperately. Thrilling, isn't it? Anyways, yeah, it's pretty AU, and I'm not really sure when it takes place, but it's meant for the Katie Cassidy Ruby (shocking huh?) and it's kind of OOC. Just to warn you._

**Title: **_**Ceiling Demons and Dripping Blood**_

**Summary: **_...And at night he dreams of her dying, and it scares him more than anything...._

**Pairing:** Dean/Ruby

**Genre:** Angst/Romance

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters. I also do not own the song_ Blind _by Placebo.

_**Ceiling Demons and Dripping Blood**_

_If I could tear you from the ceiling,_

_I'd freeze us both in time,_

_And find a brand new way of seeing,_

_Your eyes forever glued to mine_

_Don't go and leave me,_

_And please don't drive me blind_

_-Blind, Placebo_

Yellow eyes is dead. He's been dead for awhile. He can't hurt the Winchester family anymore. But Dean still has this recurring nightmare that she's on the ceiling and blood is dripping, dripping, dripping, and there's a scream, and flames, and he wakes up. Everynight, she's right there, she's right there next to him, and she's not on the ceiling. But it always takes him a long time to convince himself that she's not going anywhere.

During the days, she doesn't ask why he's so tired, and he's glad. He doesn't understand the dreams. Yellow eyes is gone, he's not coming back. And it's not like their relationship is conventional, it's not like it's normal. They still fight, they still battle, they don't say 'I love you'. They're not like other couples. He doesn't want to love her, she doesn't want to love him. But they both do anyways. No matter what he tells himself, the dream keeps coming back, and coming back, and coming back until frustration burns behind his eyes like the flames in his dreams and his hands shake when he runs them through his hair. He's convinced he's going insane.

For a long time, he pretends everything's okay. During the day he smiles, he hunts, he keeps fighting. He takes care of Sam like he's supposed to, he loves her even though he's not supposed to. He puts on a happy face even when he's so tired he's ready to drop and agony fills his green eyes like tears. And at night, he dreams of her dying and it scares him more than anything. Fear scars his skin and he holds her tightly, letting a few tears escape. Then, the day starts, and he pretends again.

He's pretty good at it. He's been a hunter for as long as he can remember and the one thing hunters are best at is pretending.

--00--

She's not stupid.

Every night when he bolts upright in bed, drenched in sweat, breathing erratic, her eyes snap open and her body goes rigid. She thinks about comforting him, but she knows he won't let her. So, every night when his breathing finally returns to normal and he lays back next to her, pulling her into his arm, she squeezes her eyes shut and pretends she doesn't notice how tightly he holds her, or the salty tears leaking into her hair.

In the daylight, she plays the part of the unsuspecting girlfriend and doesn't ask what's wrong. She trains Sam for the war, she fights with grace and beauty, and she tries not to notice how tired Dean's getting. When Sam asks her if Dean's okay, she pastes a bright smile on her face and lies. Maybe things would be easier if she didn't love him, but she's too far gone to even know how to stop.

--00--

Weeks go by, weeks turn into months, and the dreams start to destroy them. Tender touches become tense and uncomfortable, they don't talk, they turn away from each other at night. Fights get worse, yells get louder, insults cut deeper, people stare when they scream at each other in the streets, not even Sam can calm down his brother, and the nightmare tears them apart, feeding off their misery and torturing him in his sleep.

She tells herself to leave him, but can't find the strength to actually pack her bags and leave.

He tells himself to change for her, to just tell her what's wrong, but everytime he tries to, his voice dies in his throat.

Then, one day he comes home and finds her sitting on the bed, with her bags packed. He freezes, his heart drops to his stomach. ''What....What are you...'' But his voice stops there, and he swallows a lump in his throat.

She licks her lips and looks at him, blue eyes meeting green ones for the last time. ''I can't do this anymore, Dean.''

''But...''

She stands and crosses the room, stopping before she gets too close to him, knowing if she gets too close, she'll never be able to leave. ''Whatever is going on with you, Dean, it's ripping us apart, and you won't tell me what's wrong, you won't let me help you. So....I don't really see another option. I'm not going to let you do this to me anymore.''

He opens his mouth to say something, _anything, _but no sound comes out. There's silence, a painful silence, and then she moves away from him and grabs her bags. ''I should go.'' She's at the door before he can blink, and with desperation driving him he crosses the room and slams the door shut, grabbing her arm.

''Don't go....just....stay..._please_.''

She takes a deep breath to calm her racing heart, and tells herself not to look at him. ''Tell me what's wrong and I'll stay.''

He's silent, a pained look dancing on his tired face. ''I....''

''Yeah,'' She looks away and tries to grip the door handle that's jamming into her back. ''That's what I thought.''

His grip on her tightens to the point it's almost painful. _Almost. _''You know I love you, right?''

She closes her eyes and immediately hates the tear that falls down her cheek. ''Yeah,'' she rasps out, her voice unsteady and ready to break. ''I know.'' Then she pushes him away from her and is out the door before he can stop her. He doesn't move for a moment, and then chases after her, down the stairs and into the night air. ''Ruby!''

She doesn't turn around, but stops, and he knows this is his chance, his _last_ chance to get her to stay. He tries to tell her everything, he tries to tell her what's wrong, he tries to tell her about the dream. He doesn't. ''It wasn't all bad, was it?''

Slowly, she turns around and lets a small, haunted smile land on her face. ''No. It wasn't all bad.'' She pauses, and the smile drops off her face. ''The nights were the worst.''

He closes his eyes briefly and when he opens them, she's gone and there's a dull ache in his chest where she used to be.

--00--

Turns out his worst fear is losing her like his father lost his mother and like Sam lost Jessica. Turns out he didn't need to worry about that after all. Turns out he lost her anyways.

After she leaves, he thinks, maybe, just _maybe_, the dreams, the _nightmares _will go away. He actually _prays_ that they will because he's just not strong enough to see her die _again_.

And they do.

For four long months, he doesn't have the nightmare. Then, one night, he comes home after a hunt and collapses in bed, and the tick, tick, tock of the clock just about has him asleep when there's a drip, drip, dripping, and he knows what it is before he opens his eyes. ''Please God, no.'' He opens his eyes and there she is, on the ceiling, blood dripping, dripping, dripping. He doesn't scream, he doesn't even move.

He tells himself to wake up.

_''Dean,''_ she whispers.

He closes his eyes.

_''Why didn't you save me?''_

He puts his hands over his ears, and feels the flames hit his skin, and then......

......He opens his eyes and he's back in the real world again.

He gasps and sits up, clawing at his chest, because air isn't filling his lungs and he can't _breathe._ He gasps, and a strangled cry escapes his lips as he rises to unsteady feet. ''Fuck!'' He slams a hand on the wall and leans his forehead against it, breathing deeply when much needed air finally fills his lungs.

That's it.

His eyes flash with determination and he grabs his jacket, starting for the door. He can not, _will not_, live with this curse anymore. He grasps his cellphone and dials a familiar number, hands still shaking. ''Bobby? I need you to find someone for me....''

--00--

He pounds on the door and hopes she'll open it before the motel manager comes at him with a bat for making such a racket. After what seems like an eternity to him, the door opens a little and she pokes her head out, blinking sleep from her eyes. When he sees her, his heart starts beating again and he can breathe properly for the first time in months. When _she_ sees_ him_, however, her eyes widen, she gasps and she tries to shut the door in his face. But he's faster than her and catches the door, pushing his way inside.

She turns away from him quickly and he sighs nervously. ''Ruby, we need to talk.''

''No.''

''Ruby,'' he reaches out to grasp her arm, and she pushes him away, dashing into the bathroom, and as fast as he is, he can't get to her before she's locked the door. ''Goddamn it, woman,'' he growls. ''Do you have to be so stubborn?''

''Go. _Away_!''

''Not gonna happen, baby.''

''Don't call me that!'' On the other side of the door, she leans heavily against the door and wraps her arms around herself nervously, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. ''You don't get to call me that anymore. Now, go away.''

''No.''

She closes her eyes for a fraction of a second, and tries to push her tears away. ''Please go away.'' She pleads, turning her broken gaze to the ceiling. ''Please make him go away. I-I can't handle this.'' Unsteady legs give out beneath her and she slides to the ground.

He mirrors her actions and slides to the ground, back against the door. ''If you won't talk to me, will you just listen?''

''Why should I?''

''Because I'm sorry.'' He whispers, just loud enough for her to hear him.

She frowns and shifts, licking her lips anxiously, _this _close to pressing her ear to the door. ''You're....what?''

''I'm sorry, Ruby. I'm sorry I wouldn't tell you what was wrong, I'm sorry I pushed you away, I'm sorry I wouldn't let you in.'' He takes a deep breath and looks at his hands. ''But I want to let you in now.''

''What if it's too late?''

''Please?''

''Why now? Why after all this time?''

He tries to smirk, but it comes out weak and distorted. ''Because I tried living without you and it just didn't work.'' She's silent on the other side of the door and he can practically see her biting her lips nervously.

''Okay,'' she finally says after a minute. ''Tell me what's wrong.''

He doesn't answer for a moment because his vision blurs, the room spins, his throat constricts and his heartbeat races.

''Dean?''

He closes his eyes. ''I have this....this nightmare.....''

She rolls blue eyes and runs a hand through her disheveled hair. ''Yeah, I gathered as much, Dean.''

''And in it...you die.''

She tenses and tries to control her breathing.

''Just like my mother died,'' he continues, his voice strained. ''Just like Jessica died. In my dream, you....you're on the...the _ceiling_, and there's blood dripping and flames and I....'' his voice breaks, she sniffles. ''I can't save you.''

''Baby, why didn't you tell me?'' She turns her eyes to the door, like she can see him through the wood. ''I could have helped you.''

''I didn't tell you because.....'' She can almost see him scrubbing a hand over his face. ''.....Because I was scared.''

''Scared?''

He focuses blank eyes on the wall across from him. ''Terrified, actually.''

''Of what?''

''Of losing you. I've never...I've never been afraid of losing anyone but Sam before....and when I think about losing you....I just....I can't do it. I can't become my father.''

''Dean, you have to tell me these things, you have to let me help you when you're hurting. That's what couples do, you idiot.'' God, she sounds like such a girl. She chews on her lip and swipes at her eyes. ''They help each other. They let each other in.''

''I know, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never let you in before now.''

''I am too.'' A small smile plays on her face and she leans back against the door. ''Dean....'' She tucks a strand of hair behind her ears and sighs. ''I am not your mother,'' She whispers. ''And you are _not _your father.'' She pauses and then hesitantly continues. ''You're not...You're not going to lose me, Dean. I can promise you that.''

''Ruby, I need you....I need you to help me.''

''Will you actually let me help you?''

''If I do...will you take me back?''

She grimaces and looks down at herself, shaking her head. ''I don't know, Dean.'' She sighs heavily and moves a hand to the door. She feels him do the same and her heart nearly skips a beat. _Nearly._

''You love me,'' he whispers, resting his forehead on the door. ''I know you do.''

She leans her forehead on the door and shuts her eyes when she feels tears pooling in them. ''I don't know how to stop.''

''Then come home, Ruby. I...I need you.''

It'll take time. If she goes with him, she knows it will take alot of time, and there will be alot of changes._ Everything's _going to change. But she's tried to live without him too, and so far, it doesn't work for her either. ''Okay.''

For the first time in months, a real smile covers his face and he rises to his feet, hope lighting in his eyes. ''Really?''

''Yes.''

''So you're going to come out now?''

''Okay...but you have to promise not to be mad.''

A sinking feeling invades his chest and he closes his eyes, letting out a heavy breath. Can nothing ever be simple? ''Why would I be mad?''

The door opens slowly and for a minute, he's paralyzed, because he hasn't seen her in four months and he's missed her. Silence hangs in the air, as she smiles sheepishly and his eyes slowly move from her face down to her protruding stomach.

Suddenly, it all makes sense. Why she left, why she didn't want to see him, why she locked herself in the bathroom just to get away from him. Dean wants to move towards Ruby, but his feet are rooted to the ground. Slowly, he moves his gaze back to her eyes, and knows she's waiting for him to say something, but all he manages to croak out is ''Oh.''

She raises an eyebrow, and anger shines in her blue eyes. ''Oh? That's all you're going to say? Oh?''

''What...'' He clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair. ''What would you like me to say?''

''I don't know.'' Blue eyes flash black for a half a second. ''_Something_!''

''Why didn't you tell me?''

''Because my cellphone died.'' She mutters sarcastically, before reaching out and whacking him on the arm. ''Why do you think? I needed you to be there, and be sane. The way you were acting before I left, that wasn't sane.''

''So, you knew when you left?''

''Yes, I knew when I left.''

''And you never told me?''

''Obviously not.''

''And you think _I'm_ the one going insane?''

''Don't piss off a pregnant woman, dreamboy.''

He blinks, once, twice, three times, and then closes the distance between them and brings his lips to hers. She makes a noise somewhere between a squeak of surprise and a moan of pleasure, hands automatically winding around his neck. He pulls away first and rests his forehead on hers. ''I love you, you know that right?''

She grins, blue eyes twinkling. ''Yeah, I know.'' Then she leans up and kisses him again.

They're still not like other couples. They're still not normal. They still fight and battle. Only now they say 'I love you', and if he wakes up in the middle of the night, she wakes up with him. He lets her help him and she lets him take care of her.

Because that's what couples do.

_**the end**_

**AN: Okay, so I'm not really in love with this ending, I had hoped it would be more angsty, but the original ending I had was a little but **_**too**_** angsty (it involved death) so I figured, eh, why not give them a happy ending. I realize they were out of character, but like I said, this was not actually written for the Ruby character. Still despite the cheesy ending, and the OOCness, I am strangely proud of this story. Mainly because when I first wrote it, (a **_**looong**_** time ago) it was the first time I tortured Dean, and I found I enjoyed it very much....wait, that didn't come out right. (Oh! That's what he said!) The story behind this story was...well...to be honest, I love emotional!Dean. But there's also the fact that I think this may be something he'll have to deal with if and when he ever falls in love with a woman (which I hope he will) Yellow Eyes didn't just hurt Sam and John, you know. Anyways, yeah, I'm on a major caffeine high right now, so I'm going to stop rambling before I get in so deep I can't stop. Hope you liked it.**

**Kisses, Becks**


End file.
